When it comes to first-person shooters, Call of Duty is probably one of the first series you think about. Not only have they come to define the modern FPS, but each entry has played a huge part in shaping not just the genre, but the gaming landscape as we know it.
Taking elements action romps and combining them with excellent shooting, they've become the de facto blockbuster stories of gaming today and some of the best FPS games available, as well as simply excellent to play with friends. Beyond just explosive campaigns, Call of Duty is synonymous with social gaming, making them some of the best multiplayer games as well. Whether it's their iconic death matches, Zombie modes, or the newer free-to-play battle royale spin-off, it all feels like Call of Duty in the end (and that's a compliment).
These high-octane war games also raise the bar for the competition. If you've enjoyed any other FPS games since Call of Duty began, they likely owe the series a debt for moving the genre forward. Activision have often released the series annually, meaning there's plenty out there to play right now, but whether you want to revisit some older multiplayer fun or experience a slick campaign there's plenty we'd recommend. Here are the best Call of Duty games still playable today, from Modern Warfare to Black Ops 6, so give it a look!
10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Developer: Infinity Ward
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: October 28, 2022
With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward used the past as a point-of-reference rather than a blueprint. The result is a thrilling campaign which doesn't rewrite the rulebook, necessarily, though it does reinforce the rules of engagement for Call of Duty in a new generation. Action is fast and frantic, positioning is more important than ever before, and death comes quickly to those relying on the old ways of playing – if you have a tendency to lean heavily on the left stick and reload after every round that leaves your clip, you'll be at a disadvantage here. This game doesn't necessarily do anything that you haven't seen Call of Duty do before, but it's a great time with incredible visual/audio design.
Learn more in our Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 review, where we called it "brutal and utterly unrelenting"
9. Call of Duty: WW2
Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 3, 2017
It might seem odd for Call of Duty: WW2 to go back to the Second World War after so much future stuff and the previous game's trip into space (read our Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare review for more on that one), but it works. The reset of all the future tech bring the series back down to its roots and more or less acts like a reboot. The single player suffers a little in the opening half narratively but, for the most part, hits those big set piece moments confidently. It's the multiplayer that really wins here though. Without all the gadgets, tech and spacey stuff this is a much purer expression of what an online shooter should be. Stripped of the drones and satellites the action focuses much more on reactions and spacial awareness and is much more rewarding for it. The new Headquarters mode is also an interesting addition, creating a Destiny Tower like social space for players to hang out in.
Learn more in our Call Of Duty: WW2 review, where we said that "getting rid of the gimmicks creates a much purer point and shoot experience"
8. Call of Duty 2
Developer: Infinity Ward
Platforms: Xbox 360, PC
Release date: October 25, 2005
Call of Duty 2 is one of the best Xbox 360 games, and one of the finest WW2 shooters of all-time. Call of Duty 2 helped usher in the HD-era of video games when it launched in 2005, and showed just how important Xbox Live was going to become to console gaming in the future. While Infinity Ward's FPS is charmingly old-school now, it still establishes what makes the series so captivating. A globe-trotting campaign that goes big on spectacle, cutting-edge visual design, and incredibly tight multiplayer – Call of Duty 2 is the foundation for the series' rapid rise to dominance. If you're able to appreciate something old school, it's surprising how fresh this classic game still feels to play (and it's back-compatible on Xbox One and Xbox Series X!).
Learn more in our Call Of Duty 2 review, where we called it "the new daddy of WW2 shooters"
7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Developer: Infinity Ward
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: October 25, 2019
Leave it to the Call of Duty franchise to release a game with the exact same name as a 2007 title that isn't a remake of any of the games in the series, but is instead a wild reimagining that begins to rebuild the Modern Warfare series from the ground up. 2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare differs from its predecessors in that it doesn't feel like a series of disparate missions that line up to be shot down back-to-back without much contemplation. It feels like you're behind the reins of a tight action movie racing ahead at breakneck speed. It looks good, it sounds good, and it feels good. It's just a shame that, while a great first step to genuinely refreshing the Modern Warfare franchise, its two sequels just aren't as good.
Learn more in our Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare review, where we called it "clearer in its vision and execution than its spiritual predecessor"
6. Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0
Developer: Infinity Ward
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 16, 2022
Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 is a brand-new beast in the franchise, unlike anything else on this list. Most importantly, even though it's from a couple of years back, it's stull up-to-date. A direct response to the shifting multiplayer environment defined by free-to-play battle royales like Fortnite and Apex Legends, this is a distinctly Call of Duty take on the genre. It streamlines the loot system, adds an ingenious way to rejoin the fight in the Gulag, and slices through the somewhat monotonous world of battle royales with a dang tac knife. Warzone 2.0 dropped alongside 2022's Modern Warfare 2, edging out predecessor Call of Duty: Warzone Caldera in the process, and with a dedicated single-player DMZ mode if you're looking for a more narrative-based experience, it's a clear improvement.
Learn more in our Call Of Duty: Warzone 2.0 review, where we called it "a steady march toward a new horizon for Call of Duty"
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Developer: Treyarch
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release date: November 13, 2012
The original Black Ops’ trilogy was where Treyarch was allowed weird, and it’s all the better for it (and paved the way for the sixth game to go down a similar route). Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is the first – and so far, only – time COD experiments with multiple endings to decent effect. Carrying out Strike Force missions and fulfilling certain objectives in the main levels drastically alters the direction of the story, adding depth and a reason to return once the credits roll, even if there’s less new stuff to see. A longer lasting – and much more important – introduction in multiplayer is the Pick 10 system, which gives greater control of your loadout and playstyle, moulding the greater levels of customisation the series now offers. While not every change would be picked up, this entry is both a great example of Call of Duty’s strengths and one that experiments enough to stand out on its own.
Learn more in our Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 review, where we said the game "makes improvements to the formula in every single one of its game modes"
4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Developer: Infinity Ward / Beenox (Remastered)
Platforms: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Release date: November 10, 2010 (Remastered: March 30, 2020)
Those were some big shoes that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 needed to fill as a sequel, and the fact it's the closest the series gets to managing that task is a testament to its class. The single player ups the scale of the spectacle without sacrificing any of the pacing, while the multiplayer introduces the greatest tiny map of all time: the incomparable Rust. Okay, there are some minor missteps, such as the Tactical Nuke killstreak and No Russian mission in the campaign, which mean it doesn't take the top spot. But it's hard to care about these issues when some of the most iconic moments of the series, like storming the gulag to rescue an important prisoner, never stop coming.
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X, PC
Release date: October 25, 2024
When it comes to the series' boldest campaigns, the Black Ops games are usually up there, mixing Mission Impossible-like spy thriller energy with trippy sequences that make you question what's even real. Here in Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6, the story picks up from the fifth game in the series, Call Of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War, moving the action to the 90s during the Gulf War. While there's plenty of links to real-life history, this serves more as set-dressing for a conspiracy theory plot that mixes non-linear levels, a thrilling heist, and some genuine psychological horror. To top it off, the multiplayer is better than ever. Fast-paced "omnimovement" allows for great control over slides and dives, while avoiding the messier jump-happy overcorrection from the preceding entry in the series (read our Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 review for why!). If that's not enough, with two excellent Zombies maps at launch teeming with secrets, there's never a dull moment in this triumphant return to form.
Learn more in our Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 review, where we said the game "genuinely evolves what this series can be"
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops
Developer: Treyarch
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii
Release date: November 9, 2010
Call of Duty: Black Ops' Vietnam outing is undoubtedly Treyarch's best in the series, with a storyline that’s tonnes of silly fun and multiplayer modes that actually add some worthwhile new game types to try. The introduction of Gun Game - where every kill you get forces you to use a different weapon - is inspired, while going back in time to the ‘60s doesn't diminish the forceful kick of the weapons. A Cold War setting turns out to be perfect for COD, with a moral murkiness that has the capability to shock in places, while pitch perfect use of The Rolling Stones gives it a flavour that none of the other games have. Still can’t figure out what those numbers mean, though.
Learn more in our Call Of Duty: Black Ops review, where we called it a "complete package with a great story, strong FPS action and a killer multiplayer mode"
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Developer: Infinity Ward / Raven Software (Remastered)
Platforms: PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC
Release date: November 5, 2007 (Remastered: November 4, 2016)
Come on. There’s no argument that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the series’ highlight. A revelation at release and an indisputable classic now, this is the standard every new entry must measure up to. Revolutionary multiplayer, especially on consoles, is the main reason why. That alluring mix of compulsive unlocks, brilliant map design and powerful feedback is still hooking players to this day. Then there’s the peerless campaign. Bursting with unforgettable missions – Death From Above, All Ghillied Up, Charlie Don’t Surf to name a few – and a slither of surprising nuance, it’s the best war story the series has ever told. The 2016 remaster only improves on it, getting a timely visual update that makes it just as crisp as its bundle brother, Infinite Warfare. If you only ever play one Call of Duty, make sure it is Modern Warfare.
Learn more in our Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare review, where we called it "one of the most finely-tuned, expertly crafted games we've ever played"
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